19 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes for Super-Busy People

19 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes for Super-Busy People

If chicken makes an appearance on your table a least once a week, you’ve probably got a few go-to chicken recipes up your sleeve already. But if you’re getting tired of the predictable chicken salad/grilled chicken breast routine, it might be time to change the pace a bit—both literally and figuratively.

These Instant Pot chicken recipes not only offer 19 creative ways to enjoy the original white meat, but they also slash the cooking times for traditionally lengthy recipes (15-minute white chicken chili, anyone?). Dinner just got easier, healthier, and a whole lot faster.

Photo: The Girl on Bloor

By the time this chicken emerges from the Instant Pot, it’ll literally be falling apart—in a good way, of course. Simmered in a sweet and spicy homemade cilantro lime sauce, the shredded meat is so flavorful, it’s hard to believe it takes only 15 minutes to cook.

Photo: Well Plated

Turmeric can put its golden touch on a lot more than lattes. Here, it joins cumin and coriander in giving the chicken and rice a distinct Indian-inspired flavor. With almond milk lending creaminess and coconut flakes for a fragrant garnish, this colorful one-pot meal is easy for weeknight meals but just as impressive for serving a crowd.

Photo: Half Baked Harvest

Ramen’s all the rage these days, but it’s also more often than not packed with a day’s worth of sodium. This version gets plenty of umami richness from the mushrooms, chicken, and eggs, but keeps the salt in check by using low-sodium soy sauce and chicken broth.

Photo: Yay for Food

Pasta, protein, produce: Get all the essentials without having to cook each component separately when you use the Instant Pot. Generous squeezes of lemon and crumbled feta liven up the heavier orzo and crispy chicken, making the dish both healthy and hearty.

Photo: Paint the Kitchen Red

It may be a few more ingredients than you’re used to, but each spice, herb, and condiment plays a vital role in making this fragrant curry a total hit. Plus, once you’ve collected all the components, your work really ends there—the Instant Pot does the rest.

Photo: Cotter Crunch

While prepared salsa verde helps this chicken chili come together in a snap, fresh chopped veggies and spices keep it tasting like it’s made entirely from scratch. If you use corn tortillas on top, the recipe is entirely gluten-free.

Photo: Copy Me That

If you’re a fan of , here’s another Mexican-Italian mashup you’re likely to love. With fajita seasoning and fire-roasted tomatoes tossed with penne, it’s got the best of both worlds, saving you from impossible decisions over which cuisine to cook that day.

Photo: The Blond Cook

Sometimes, nothing but a classic will do. From the chopped carrots and onions to the egg noodles, this chicken soup doesn’t stray far from the traditional recipe, but the fact that it’s made in the Instant Pot means it’s ready in less than half the time it used to take Mom.

Photo: Well Plated

Reduced-fat coconut milk, Greek yogurt, and just one tablespoon of butter make this chicken curry lighter than the restaurant version—but just as creamy. When you’ve got the Instant Pot doing triple duty to sauté the veggies, cook the meat, and simmer the sauce, making Indian food never has to seem intimidating again.

Photo: Rachel Cooks

This piccata comes without the grease of the fried recipe, but the Instant Pot makes sure that all the garlic, lemon, and dried herb flavors are sealed into the chicken during the cooking process. Not only is it much cleaner, but it’s also impressively faster, clocking in at under 20 minutes from start to finish.

Photo: Little Bits Of

If you love yourself some Lebanese food but the closest restaurant you can get it at may as well be in Beirut, take a shot at shawarma in your own kitchen. Flavored with cumin, paprika, and chili powder, this one tastes impressively authentic while also managing to be a Whole30-friendly recipe.

Photo: Fresh April Flours

Take the stir-fry from the stove to the Instant Pot with this super-speedy, under-20-minute recipe, which cooks the noodles and the chicken all at once, and uses frozen veggies for a quick-fix solution. Aside from stirring up a sauce, there honestly isn’t much else you need to do here—isn’t that the best kind of cooking on a busy day?

Photo: Wholesomelicious

Anyone would enjoy a rich stroganoff to satisfy some serious hanger pangs after work, but this fairly speedy Instant Pot recipe gives you even more to love. Made with dairy-free coconut milk instead of sour cream and chicken instead of beef, it’s as healthy as it is hearty.

Photo: Leelalicious

Brimming with quinoa, butternut squash, and chicken, this warm, one-pot wonder is protein-packed and gluten-free but also tastes like a big hug in a bowl. In a nutshell, it’s the dictionary definition of healthy comfort food.

Photo: All That Jas

Give your usual weeknight chicken and potatoes a different treatment with this Instant Pot version. The meat gets especially juicy, the spuds get especially creamy, and there’s plenty of garlicky jus left over to drizzle on top for an extra-tasty finish.

Photo: Eat Drink Love

This tomato-free chili relies on broth and pantry seasonings for flavor, while chicken, white beans, and corn provide plenty of wholesome volume. Best of all, although it tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, all that spicy, savory, and slightly sweet depth actually takes only 15 minutes to develop in the Instant Pot.

Photo: Primavera Kitchen

All it takes is a handful of dried spices to take plain old chicken and tomatoes to lip-smacking status. This dish is proof you don’t need expensive ingredients or a lot of time to make a meal memorable.

Photo: Joanie Simon

This recipe gets its sweet and sour components from canned fruit (in natural juice), rice wine vinegar, and tangy tomato paste. Although lettuce wraps are usually an appetizer, these protein-packed parcels could totally pass for a light main meal too.

Photo: I Don't Have Time for That

Wondering why you’d ever make lo mein at home when the take-out menu is sitting on your kitchen counter? This recipe gives you three reasons: It uses dramatically less oil and salt, it can easily be made gluten-free, and it’s ready in under 15 minutes (much faster than the time it takes to get food delivered).